Merry Mittens in Ribbon

December 2015
Sheree McKee
sewfabsew.blogspot.com

Lace and ribbon scraps

These "Merry Mitten" fabric postcards are made from scrap ribbon and lace.


For this swap, I emphasized a Christmas theme by using a poinsettia background print.   You could create a snowy winter theme, by using ice blue and silver background fabrics.



 

Lay diagonally onto fusible side of stabilizer

First, I began by cutting a 6" wide by 24" long piece of single-sided stabilizer.  With the fusible glue facing upward, I laid random strips of ribbon at a 45 degree angle.  I pressed the ribbons into place in groups of three to four.  

Be careful not to touch the stabilizer with your hot iron!

Here's your chance to play with
decorative machine stitches

Secondly, once the strip of stabilizer was filled and fused,  I bridge stitched between each ribbon.  

I used a variety of decorative machine stitches and some variegated colored thread.  Metallic threads would also make pretty connecting stitches.

A mitten template can be moved around

Third, I drew up a mitten shaped pattern that would fit inside a final 4" x 6" postcard.  It was able to carefully cut four mittens from the stabilizer.  

Layer trims if needed

Then I layered some lace trims over a few of the wider ribbons.

Base postcards before mittens are attached

Next, I prepared four base postcards on more stabilizer.  This is where I used the pretty Poinsettia fabric from my stash as a background.










Finally, I centered the firm mitten shapes onto the bases.  I simply held them in place as I stitched the perimeter with a wide decorative stitch that would swing on and off the mitten.

You might like the link below to a previous blog article  

about Holiday Recycling